Explaining it to my friends

[Clarity]

I am a highly educated person. My friends are also highly educated. A couple of my friends like to bust on me because I store some food and have disaster preparations. One lives in Denver, the other lives outside NYC.

How would you make the case to them that they should prep a little bit? I've tried, but I've been laughed off. I become the butt of their jokes. I've tried to explain vulnerabilities in the grid, shipping chokepoints, civil unrest, etc., but they don't seem to listen.

(No, I'm not going to ditch them as friends!!!)

What would you say to get them to store some preps? Just some food, water, and other items.

How do you convince the unconvinced?

 

[OutdoorDad]

I would remind them of the weather conditions they both recently experienced. Sandy, and the brutal cold snap in Denver last year.

If they had lost all power, and been under a "boil water" restriction for a week, would they have the resources to survive without assistance? If the answer is "yes", then you're done. They are better off than 90%.

If the answer is "no", maybe you can get them to keep an extra propane tank for their grill. Or a bathtub bladder to store some potable water. And a 10 lb bag of pancake mix. And some tuna. That's not much extra. But it might keep them alive.

 

[IndyDave1776]

I will second OutdoorDad's position. Preparation does not necessarily mean being prepared to hide in a bunker for 10 years without ever coming out. It can be as simple as the aforementioned preparation to ride out a storm that screws things up for a few days. It is a scary thought that what my grandparents considered as simply an adequately stocked pantry is now seen as 'prepping' since we have come to the habit of going to the store every other day. With the above-mentioned preps, grandma would have gone to the store long before seeing the pantry get that empty. Hell, even a big box of mac and cheese mix from Sam's full and one you are drawing from will keep you alive so long as you have water to cook it in. Keep an assortment of canned vegetables and meats, like tuna, salmon, and chicken, and some canned soup which is not expensive, and you will be golden unless we have a full scale collapse.

I would stick with acclimating them to the notion that it is a good thing to avoid being SOL if the power goes down long enough for the refrigerator to warm up.

 

[AngryRooster]

A small prepping related gift for a birthday or holiday. Something they will be sure to use that they may not think of.

 

[printcraft]

I am a highly educated person...

Explaenining it to my friends

 

[easy]

Next 'gift' time send them a variety bucket of Wise Foods.

 

[Chaplain45]

I would remind them of the weather conditions they both recently experienced. Sandy, and the brutal cold snap in Denver last year.

If they had lost all power, and been under a "boil water" restriction for a week, would they have the resources to survive without assistance? If the answer is "yes", then you're done. They are better off than 90%.

If the answer is "no", maybe you can get them to keep an extra propane tank for their grill. Or a bathtub bladder to store some potable water. And a 10 lb bag of pancake mix. And some tuna. That's not much extra. But it might keep them alive.

This makes good sense to me. Relating the need to their or your personal experiences can make a point.

 

[The Bubba Effect]

I am a highly educated person. My friends are also highly educated. A couple of my friends like to bust on me because I store some food and have disaster preparations. One lives in Denver, the other lives outside NYC.

How would you make the case to them that they should prep a little bit? I've tried, but I've been laughed off. I become the butt of their jokes. I've tried to explain vulnerabilities in the grid, shipping chokepoints, civil unrest, etc., but they don't seem to listen.

(No, I'm not going to ditch them as friends!!!)

What would you say to get them to store some preps? Just some food, water, and other items.

How do you convince the unconvinced?

What degrees do your friends hold?

I am asking because I would approach someone with an ma in history differently than I would approach someone with a ms in chemical engineering.

 

[jagee]

My thoughts exactly.

 

[Lee11b]

Ditto....

 

[churchmouse]

If they are that snarky about it just never bring it up again. If they do mention you will not be discussing this anymore and move on. If they persist then they are just being rude.

 

[mbills2223]

If they are that snarky about it just never bring it up again. If they do mention you will not be discussing this anymore and move on. If they persist then they are just being rude.

Yep...you tried...acting on it or belittling it from there is up to them.

 

[AngryRooster]

You can only do so much. If talking to them fails then I would try examples of things in their area that would be relevant. If that falls on deaf ears then try the gift route. Sometimes people won't respond to things unless it affects them personally. It may take something happening or them to find themselves in a hard spot in order to realize they should do something. The whole lead a horse to water thing.

My parents never really wanted anything to do with firearms when I was growing up or as far back as I can remember. Not that they were anti-gun or anything. As a matter of fact, both of them had guns when they were younger from their parents and grand parents. I think mom had a single shot 22 bolt action and dad had a single shot 12 gauge. Mom was shot with a "unloaded" BB or pellet gun in the head when she was little by someone who was jacking around and has been doggy about them ever since. Dad was in supply in the Army for many years but never really cared for private gun ownership. Both guns were treated as family heirlooms & antiques instead of firearms.

Got a call from mom to take her shopping for a gun one day. Turns out the neighbor lady came into her kitchen and found a strange man and woman standing there. They started begging her for food and money. She eventually got them to leave without incident but that really opened their eyes. They now have a few firearms in the house. It's a trip to see my 70 year old mother at the range with a Glock 30 after all these years.

It took something like this for them to open their eyes and realize what is happening all around. Keep an open mind with them. Something will happen at some point and they will ask for advice.

 

[churchmouse]

You might want to be a little selective with whom you share your prepping with. I know the friends you mention are out of state but in hard times folks will plunder to survive.

 

[LockStocksAndBarrel]

Ditto....

Trippo...

 

[HHollow]

Do you have any Mormon friends or neighbors? At least back in the days of my youth the typical Mormon family was expected to have 6 months food stashed in their basement. It was explained to me that the food storage was the most practical way for a young family to "get ahead" of things financially. More of a hedge.

 

[shibumiseeker]

You don't explain it to them. Real friends try to understand and accept their friends, even when they don't agree with them. People around you who belittle you for things you feel deeply about that do no harm to yourself or others are not people who are being friends. Many people figure this (how to be a good friend and how to choose friends) out in high school or college, many do not.

A real friend is someone who I can tell anything even if I don't always, and who will want the best for me even if it is not for them. They may call me on it if I am being truly stupid about something, but in the end they will support me. That is what I give to my friends and that is what I demand from them. Anyone else is an acquaintance and I have no problem cutting them from my life if they behave poorly.

 

[Hoosier8]

I am a highly educated person. My friends are also highly educated. A couple of my friends like to bust on me because I store some food and have disaster preparations. One lives in Denver, the other lives outside NYC.

How would you make the case to them that they should prep a little bit? I've tried, but I've been laughed off. I become the butt of their jokes. I've tried to explain vulnerabilities in the grid, shipping chokepoints, civil unrest, etc., but they don't seem to listen.

(No, I'm not going to ditch them as friends!!!)

What would you say to get them to store some preps? Just some food, water, and other items.

How do you convince the unconvinced?

Remind them of how fast the grocery stores get emptied when there is just a hint of bad weather. Remind them of when the eastern Midwest was out of electricity for 3 weeks during the winter and all of the other suggestions given here.

Tell them you are just a pig. Remind them of the fable of the three little pigs, not just a children's story but a lesson born of experience.

 

[possum_128]

I don't feel I need to explain myself to my friends or anyone else. If your so-called "friends" make you become the butt of their jokes for whatever reasons, then they are not your friends. Move on.

 

[pudly]

I don't feel I need to explain myself to my friends or anyone else. If your so-called "friends" make you become the butt of their jokes for whatever reasons, then they are not your friends. Move on.

Really? My close male friends are precisely the people I expect to sometimes make jokes at my expense. We have that level of comfort and freedom with each other. This is a simple disagreement. Most people don't require that their friends agree on everything, even strongly held beliefs. Being different religions doesn't stop most people from being friends. No reason people's attitudes on prepping should either.